Thursday

Lovell Wash - Anniversary Mine & Narrows (Summary Page)


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This page last updated on 042/16/2018

Note: A private landowner has closed off access to a narrow slot canyon beloved by hikers at the northwestern edge of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Visitors to Anniversary Narrows used be able to turn off the main route through the recreation area, drive up a few miles of dirt road and park right at the mouth of the canyon, but no longer. A note on the Birdandhike site reads: "As of February 2019, the regular and alternate route routes into Anniversary Narrows remains closed."
In March of 2019, the Narrows was hit with a major flash flood. The recent flash flooding has washed out the road leading to the wash and the fencing that formerly blocked the canyon. A No Trespassing sign still remains in the formerly fenced area. It is also reported that boulders in the upper narrows make passage more difficult than before. Whether the mining company will go in and repair the fence blocking the wash, or leave it the way it is, is up to the mining company. As of yet, they have done nothing to repair it. This is totally subject to change without notice. Be aware that the flash flood has made it harder to get through, and will require a fair amount of scrambling.
Lovell Wash Cover
MAP-Lovell Wash
(Fig. 01)
Wash Description: The Lovell Wash is a tributary of Callville Wash, as it cuts into a ridge in the Gale Hills at the south edge of the Muddy Mountains. The total distance between the point where the Lovell Wash passes under NV-167, refer to the map in (Fig.01), up to the point where the slot canyon begins, is approximately 2.5 miles. To view each of the three areas pinpointed on the map in (Fig. 01) depends upon the type of vehicle you are driving and how much hiking you are willing to do.  If one parks in the parking area at milepost 16 off North Shore Drive in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, it is about a 2.2 mile hike on Anniversary Mine Road (94A) to where it enters the bottom of the wash. From this point it is about 0.6 miles (north) to the start of the slot canyon or 1.4 miles (south) to and area of extreme color. If you walk to the narrows and then head back and walk the wash south to Northshore Road and back to mile marker 16 where you parked, it is about 2.6 miles, making a total hike of around 5.5 miles. Refer to the map in (Fig. 01). This is the best place to park if you want to hike the wash all the way back on the return. Though driving further in will cut more than two miles off of the distance to reach the narrows, it removes the option of returning via the wash, causing you to miss some of the beautiful colors found in the lower wash area. In general, hiking this area provides sweeping desert vistas, distant lake views, options for exploring some mine, finding historic artifacts, walking through a remarkable slot canyon, and seeing some of the most fascinating and colorful geological formations you will find anywhere. Obviously, if you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can drive to each of these areas, eliminating nearly 4 miles of hiking.
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EP-P106008301/23/2014 Trip Notes:  Today I went back for yet another visit to the Anniversary Mine and Lovell Wash with the rock-hounds from Henderson’s Heritage Park Senior Facility. As this was my fourth visit to this area, I was looking for some place new to hike. While the majority of the group hiked to Anniversary Narrows, four of us decided to hike up to a group of mine prospects that we spotted on the west side of Lovell Wash, about halfway between North Shore Road and where Anniversary Mine Road enters the wash.

Link to: Lovell Wash - Trip Notes for 01/23/2014.


E-P101083002/07/2013 & 01/01/2012 Trip Notes: On this latest visit, Buster and I decided to hike over to an area where it looked like there might be some new mining activity. On an earlier visit, 01/01/2012, with Harvey Smith, I toured the original mine adit located in Lovell Wash as well as the large tailing pile and building ruins that were part of the original mining camp.

Link to: Anniversary Mine - Trip Notes for 02/07/2013

                             
E-P101080110/01/2012 & 12/08/2011 Trip Notes: Today Harvey and I drove up the wash, about a .6 miles to the beginning of the narrows. The hike through the narrows to its end is about .3 miles. While going up the wash you not only pass the main adit of the Anniversary Mine and some surrounding remains, evidence of the mining that took place here nearly 90-years ago, you also get to experience some amazing geology. It appears that this land may have once been layers of mud in the bottom of some vast playa lake where ancient animals once roamed. The mud turned to stone, and tectonic activity jumbled the area and turned the lake bed on edge. Today we are left with several mountain-sized ridges of sedimentary materials (sandstone, limestone, and mudstone of various colors including purple, red, green, yellow, and gray) that have been steeply tilted up.

Link to: Anniversary Narrows (Slot Canyon) - Trip Notes for 10/01/2012

                                    
E-P103020811/15/2012 Trip Notes:  There is a section in the southern portion of Lovell Wash, north of North Shore Road, that contains some of the best color you will find anywhere in Nevada. Walking up a tributary that feeds the wash at this location will also lead you to a small abandoned mine shaft as well as some more interesting geology. If you just want to visit this area by itself, the shortest route would be to park at MM16 and walk about 0.2 miles south on North Shore Road to where the Lovell Wash goes under the road and then walk about 0.3 miles up the wash.

Link to: Lovell Wash Hike (Lower End) - Trip Notes





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Note: Every attempt is made to provide accurate information, but occasionally depictions are inaccurate by error of mapping, navigation or cataloging. The information on this site is provided without any warranty, express or implied, and is for informational and historical purposes only.

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